


One Call Away

by tabbytabbytabby



Series: Laura Hale Appreciation Week 2018 [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Childhood, Family Bonding, Growing Up, Minor Laura Hale/Jordan Parrish, Pre-Canon, Protective Siblings, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-07-17 06:18:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16089794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: Laura is 4 years old when Derek is born. She takes one look at the sleeping bundle in her mother’s arms and knows she’ll do anything to keep him safe. At the time the only thing she’s worried about are the monsters hiding in the closet and under their beds. But that’s enough for her. Nothing is going to touch Derek while she is around.





	One Call Away

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ithinkwehaveanemergency](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ithinkwehaveanemergency/gifts).



> For day 2 of Laura Hale Appreciation Week:  
> For Adri, who helped prompt me with this one

Laura is 4 years old when Derek is born. She takes one look at the sleeping bundle in her mother’s arms and knows she’ll do anything to keep him safe. At the time the only thing she’s worried about are the monsters hiding in the closet and under their beds. But that’s enough for her. Nothing is going to touch Derek while she is around.

She and Derek are incredibly close growing up. Even when Cora is born 3 years after Derek. She loves her sister and would do anything for her, and god help anyone that tries to hurt her, but the bond with Cora isn’t quite the same as it is with Derek.

Derek though, loves being a big brother. When Cora turns 5 and starts school Laura notices Derek eyeing all the boys, and even the girls, suspiciously when they talk to Cora. The poor girl is going to have an interesting time when she starts dating, that’s for sure.

It doesn’t even occur to her that the same might happen for her. Though she really should have known with how close they are, and Derek’s general protective nature. She’s standing in front of her mirror, trying to fix her hair that has decided tonight of all nights it wants to be unruly, when she notices Derek standing in the doorway. He has his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed as he watches her.

“You keep glaring like that and your face is going to get stuck,” Laura tells him.

“That’s not true,” Derek tells her. “Peter told me so.”

“Or maybe Peter is just hoping you’ll be stuck with a permanent scowl and no longer be the most handsome member of the family,” Laura points out.

Derek’s frown deepens. They both know that’s something Peter would do. Laura tries not to laugh when Derek struggles to relax his features. She shakes her head and sighs, putting down her brush and calling her hair as a lost cause.

When he continues to frown she moves over to the bed and sits down, patting the spot next to next. She waits until he’s sitting before turning to face him, “What’s on your mind, Der?”

“Are you sure you’re ready to date?” Derek blurts out.

“I’m 14,” Laura says, “plenty of people my age are dating.”

“But that doesn’t mean you have to,” Derek says.

“You’re right,” Laura agrees, “It’s doesn’t. But…”

“But what?”

“I like this guy,” Laura says. “He’s nice. And he’s not like the other guys my age.”

“And that’s a good thing?” Derek asks.

“It definitely is,” Laura says, smiling down at him. “Besides, you know Jordan. You two get along great. Or is that what you’re worried about? That we’ll date and break up and he won’t come around anymore?”

Derek shakes his head, “No, okay well maybe. But that’s not it. I know Jordan’s a good guy. But things can still happen. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Jordan’s not going to hurt me,” Laura tells him.

“If anything we should be worried about poor Jordan,” their mother says from the door.

“Because of Dad?”

“No, because of you,” Talia says.

“Excuse me?” Laura says, feigning offense.

Talia moves to sit between them, and the two quickly make room, leaning into the contact when she wraps an arm around both of their shoulders.

“You were always going to be the heartbreaker,” Talia says.

“What about me?” Derek asks.

Laura grins and pinches his cheek, “You’re too sweet.”

Derek’s face scrunches up and he tries to back away from her hand, “I’m _not._ ”

“Oh sweetheart, you are,” their mother says, running a hand through his hair. “But that’s okay. The world needs more sweet guys like you.”

“Plus there’s still room to grow out of it,” Peter says from the door. “Puberty ruins us all.”

Laura rolls her eyes, “Not everyone.”

Peter shrugs, “You mark my words, Derek is going to have everyone fawning all over him once he gets to high school. We Hales always do.”

“But what if I don’t want that?” Derek asks.

“You are going to change,” Talia says. “It happens as you get older. It’s part of growing up. But there are parts of you that will stay the same. All that matters is that you stay true to who you are.”

“Even if you’re creepy like Peter?” Laura asks.

Talia smiles fondly over at her brother, “Even then.”

“I feel like I should take offense to that, but I don’t care enough to,” Peter says. “Anyway, Laura your date is here.”

“What?” Laura says, shooting to her feet. “How long has he been here?”

She starts moving around the room, trying to find her jacket and wallet. “About 20 minutes,” Peter says, laughing when Laura glares at him over her shoulder.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I came up here to get you,” Peter says, “But you all were having a family heart to heart and it seemed rude to interrupt.”

“And it’s not rude to leave Jordan waiting downstairs?” Laura asks, letting out a breath of relief when she finds her jacket.

Peter shrugs, “It’s not as if he hasn’t been here before. He’s just talking to your dad.”

“Oh no,” Laura groans, running towards the door. “Please don’t be saying anything embarrassing,” she mutters to herself as she takes the stairs faster than she probably should.

She skids to a stop in the entrance to the living room to see her father and Jordan sitting on the couch. Jordan smiles when he sees her and gets to his feet, “There you are. I was starting to get worried Peter kidnapped you.”

“If anyone would, it’s Peter,” Laura says, “But he just conveniently forgot to mention you were here. Your parents?”

“They dropped me off,” Jordan says, “Mom was going to take us but got called in so your dad offered to drive us into town.”

Laura nods and gives her father a grateful smile, “Thank you, Dad.”

She turns to the stairs before they leave to see Derek standing there, shuffling his feet uncomfortably. She walks to him and wraps him up into a hug, “I know you’re worried, but I’ll be fine.” When she pulls back she smiles, “Besides, you’ll always be the best man in my life. Second to Dad, of course.”

“Of course,” Derek says, grinning over Laura’s shoulder at their father. Then he turns to Jordan, “Have her home by 9.”

Laura lets out a startled laugh, “Derek…”

“I think we’ll give them until 10 tonight Derek,” their father says. “Besides, I’m the one picking them up so you’ll have to give some leeway before you alert the authorities.”

“Fine,” Derek says. “But if you’re late…”

“You won’t know because you’ll be in bed asleep,” their mother says. “Now come, it’s time to let them go, and get dinner started.”

Derek nods, gives Laura another tight hug, and then lets their mother lead him into the kitchen. She watches him go before turning back to where Jordan and her father are waiting by the door. She wants tonight to go well, but even if it doesn’t she knows she’ll be okay.

***

Laura smiles as she listens to the chaos happening downstairs. She can hear Cora helping their mother and grandmother in the kitchen and then Peter, her father, and her aunts, uncles, and cousins in the backyard finishing up getting the tables up, along with whatever else her parents have decided to throw together for the party.

She listens for a moment, the noise comforting a bit of the nerves that have started to rise. It’s hard to believe in a few short hours she’ll be graduating high school, and then before she knows it she’ll be on her way to Los Angeles for college. It’s going to be hard leaving everyone, but she’s also excited. She knows they’ll be fine and look out for each other.

That thought has her frowning and listening again. She doesn’t hear Derek anywhere nearby. She needs to leave for her call time soon but she also needs to find Derek. She grabs her robe and throws it over her shoulder and runs down the stairs, telling her family she’s going and she’ll see them at the school. She throws her robe, phone, and wallet in the car and then heads towards the trees. Derek has to be nearby.

Sure enough, she finds him skipping stones in the creek near their house. He keeps his back to her and doesn’t say anything, not even when she takes a seat on the rock next to him.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, bringing her knees up and resting her head on them as she peers over at him.

“Nothing,” he mumbles, throwing another stone with more force than necessary.

“Bullshit,” she says, narrowing her eyes at him. “Something is bothering you. Now tell me what it is.”

“It’s you!” Derek shouts, throwing the rest of the stones he’s holding into the water and then standing up.

Laura frowns and slowly gets to her feet, “Me? Did I do something?”

“No!” Derek whines, keeping his back to her. “But you’re going to.”

“So what? You can predict the future now?”

Derek gives a put upon sigh and turns to face her. It’s then that she realizes his eyes are red and his cheeks wet. He’s been crying. She closes the distance between them in three quick strides and brings a hand up to his cheek, “What is it?”

“You’re leaving me,” Derek says, his voice is soft, and he won’t meet her eyes. “You’re going off to school and I’m going to be left here alone. We’ve always been the closest, Laur. We’ve never been a part for more than a month and now you’re going to go off all the way to LA for months at a time and I’ll be here by myself. I won’t have you to talk to, or come to when something is bothering me like I’ve always been able to.”

“Hey, look at me” Laura waits until his eyes meet hers before going on, “I might be moving away but I’m still going to be here for you. Always. I’m just a phone call away. If you need anything, all you have to do is pick it up and call me. No matter what time it is. Sure, there might be times I don’t answer but I will always call you back as soon as I can, and be there to listen and help you, okay?”

Derek nods, “Okay.”

Laura smiles and pats his cheek, “Sometimes when you get older, there are things you have to do alone, Derek.  Not all of them are going to be bad, but some of them are.  But know that no matter how alone you feel, Der, you are loved. And you always will be."

She pulls him in for a hug and tucks her face into his neck. She hadn’t realized how much she needed the contact until now. The thought of leaving him hasn’t been easy, but she knows it’s something she needs to do. She loves her family, but she needs to do this. Derek will understand that soon enough.

“I love you,” Derek says, his arms tightening around her.

“I love you too, Der. Always.” Laura pulls back with a sigh, “I have to get to the school or Principle Kimble will have my head. Are you going to be okay?”

Derek nods and gives her a small smile, “Yeah I’ll be fine.”

“Derek?” They hear their mother calling from the house. “Are you out there?”

Derek’s face pales a bit at the sound of her voice and Laura laughs. She puts an arm around his shoulders and starts leading him back towards the house to face their mother.

Everything else seems to be a blur after that. From driving to the school to lining up in her correct spot, and then filing into their seats. She tries to take it all in as best as she can. When it’s her rows turn to line up to go to the stage Laura is surprised to feel herself shaking a bit. She hadn’t even realized she was nervous, but now that she’s here it’s all catching up to her.

 _What if I trip on my gown walking across the stage?_   She thinks. _Or fall down the stairs? Or I stumble into the person in front of me and send them falling?_

She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. She feels herself calm a bit when she picks up on her family’s excited chatter and the sound of their heartbeats. When she opens her eyes and looks across the crowd she sees Derek watching her. He smiles when he sees she’s looking and gives her two thumbs up. She grins back and waves, laughing when Derek and Cora both stick their tongues out at her. She turns back around when the line starts moving and feels calmer than she has all day. Soon her name is being called and she hears her family start cheering from the crowd. She takes a deep breath and moves across the stage, each step bringing her away from Beacon Hills High School and towards her future.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/Comments make my day. ♥ Hopefully the last chapter can be up soon  
> [My tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


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